Natalia was sitting on the bed, waiting for her father, and Axton or anyone them. Alpha Axton was the first one to emerge, and he only gave her half a glance, before he turned back to the mirror.
"You look happy." She said, peeking from behind him.
His first instinct was to reply with a snarky remark, but then he remembered she was the only reason he was back to the way he used to be.
"I am happy. You made me happy." He nodded at his reflection, then walked to her.
"I did? Is it...because of...that?" A blush rise up her cheeks as she said it, and he raised his brows.
"You did brush your lips against mine without my permission." He said, tilting his head to the side as she smiled sheepishly.
"You could...do the same if you want revenge so much." She said, batting her eyelashes as she looked away.
Axton looked confused. "How are you so brazen while being completely naive?"
She was like two personalities in one, and he, even though it was just a minute feeling, but he was glad he didn't have to actually kill her.
"Well, I.."
"Natalia?" Nicholas emerged from behind them, making them turn to him.
"Father."
"Natalia, I would like to speak to you in private."
She looked at Axton who was taken away by his own appearance again, and she walked away.
"Can you bear not staying with me?" He asked as soon as she closed the door.
"I do not understand, father. What do you mean?"
"I am sending you away to live with him. He will take care of you."
"But...but why? Did I do something wrong?"
Nicholas shook his head then turned back, holding her shoulders in his hands. "It is for the best, believe me." He rubbed her shoulders as tears filled his eyes. "I should have...let you run around all you want, Natalia. Had I known he would come around this fast...I would have let you take more flowers. Let you be more of a lady." He gently sifted his hand through her hair and tucked it behind her ears, then brought her head close to him and kissed her forehead.
"I am sorry, Natalia."
"Why are you saying all these, father?"
He shook his head, then patted her cheek reassuringly. "Get your things ready, okay? You trust me, right?"
She nodded and he smiled.
"Go with him, okay?"
She nodded again and he left her to her thoughts.
"I need to send a message to my pack." Alpha Axton said immediately he saw Nicholas. "I do not intend to go back as unceremoniously as I left, and I have to carry Natalia with me too."
Nicholas nodded. "I will make arrangements."
"We will leave once the next full moon emerges. Get her ready."
Nicholas nodded again, causing Axton to glare at him.
"Why so obedient today?"
Nicholas shrugged. "I just realized you somehow manage to make your wishes come true. You somehow manage to make everyone bend to you. Because you are a werewolf of the upper breed, an Alpha of the largest pack, you somehow know how to make everyone inconvenience themselves, to make situations convenient for you."
Alpha Axton nodded. "Then do something about it." He said, then paused. "Oh, you are not powerful enough. I am. You should have been born half beast like me if you were only going to complain. Know that I am only letting you off, because you are her father."
"Of course. I should be happy to receive your graciousness." Nicholas gave a mocking bow, then turned around and left.
"Why do I have to go with you? Is this...a marriage?"
He chuckled. "Would you savor a marriage to a man like me?"
"I do not know you. How naive of me."
He raised a brow. "I am the beast your father tried so hard to keep you away from. How about that for an introduction?"
"But why do you not feel so much like that? I can not see to wrap my head around anything."
He covered the distance between them, his hands clasped behind him. "There are...a lot of things you should know, but they are all secondary. What's primary, and mandatory, is me."
"You?"
He extended his hand to her. He never thought he would have to do all of these, but his situation brought him here, and he was determined to take it to the end. She looked sown at his hand, confused. She seemed like a different person from the one who had kissed him.
"Fall in love with me...and I'll give you all of the beautiful things that life has to offer." He looked down at his own hand, and then her face.
She looked blank for a while. "But...if I do that, will you not be there only thing I would want then?"
"You read too many books," He remarked.
"That is the whole idea of love, Axton. You do no request someone to love you."
"But you do realize you have a connection with me, do you not?"
"I do not understand it myself. You got cut..."
He put a finger to her lips. "I do have a revenge to settle with you, do you remember?"
She dropped her head, momentarily forgetting everything she had been feeling. He wanted her to fall for him...how was he going to handle it if she already was?
"I do...but..."
"When you least expect it, Natalia. They are never as good when they come preplanned."
She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.
"What do you think about...going to see flowers a start? After all, the beast you were locked up from...has already found you."
He didn't know about love...or the mate bond he shared with her. He didn't know much about kisses or holding hands just because you wanted to...but he meant every word he said last. Her beast has found her, and he wasn't going to let her go.
"You look nothing like one." She said, but extended her hand to his outstretched one nonetheless.
"Looks can be deceiving, Natalia. They always deceive."